FG only sponsored 422 delegates to COP28, says information minister

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, says only 422 people out of the record 1,411-member delegation from Nigeria were sponsored by the federal government to attend the ongoing climate change conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Nigeria leads Africa’s largest delegation to the conference also known as Conference of Parties (COP28).

The long list of delegates from Nigeria has sparked criticisms from citizens, with many calling it a jamboree to the Middle Eastern country.

In a statement on Monday, Idris said some of the people were sponsored by state governments and private entities.

“It is imperative to point out that the overall Nigerian delegation to COP-28 comprises Government-sponsored (Federal and State Governments) and non-government-sponsored participants (from Private Companies, NGOs, CSOs, Media, academia, etc),” Idris said.

“The Federal Government-funded delegation is made up of a total of 422 persons, as follows: National Council on Climate Change = 32, Federal Ministry of Environment = 34, All Ministries = 167, Presidency = 67, Office of the Vice President = 9, National Assembly = 40, Federal Parastatals/Agencies = 73.

“As the biggest economy and most populous country in Africa, with a substantial extractive economy and extensive vulnerability to climate change, Nigeria has a significant stake in climate action, and our active and robust participation at COP is therefore not unwarranted.”

The minister said the conference presents an array of investment and partnership opportunities for the country.

“Nigeria and Germany signed an accelerated performance agreement to expedite the implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) to improve Nigeria’s electricity supply,” he said.

“The agreement was signed by Mr. Kenny Anuwe, the Managing Director and CEO of FGN Power Company, and Ms. Nadja Haakansson, Siemens Energy’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Africa, at a ceremony witnessed by President Tinubu and Chancellor Scholz.

“President Tinubu hosted a high-level meeting with stakeholders and investors on the Nigeria Carbon Market and the Electric Buses Rollout Programme on the margins of the COP28 climate summit.

“The President unveiled the Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Plan, co-chaired by the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Zacch Adedeji, and the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Dr. Dahiru Salisu.”

Idris added that President Bola Tinubu and other government officials are not on a jamboree in Dubai.